Cutty (Prairie Grooms Book 8)

by Kit Morgan

  She smiled back and wrapped an arm through his. “And you’re a wonderful friend,” she said and kissed him on the cheek.

  Cutty’s ears turned pink and he swallowed hard. “I … try.”

  Nettie looked into his eyes and noticed they’d misted. “Cutty?”

  He wiped at them. “Sure is smoky out here, ain’t it?”

  Nettie glanced at the few lanterns placed here and there to light the barnyard for Constance and Ryder’s guests. “Yes,” she agreed, even though she noted no lantern smoke where they stood, just a light breeze. “Are you quite all right?”

  “’Course I’m all right, why wouldn’t I be?” he grumbled.

  She shrugged. “No reason – I just thought I’d ask. Let’s get something to eat.”

  “A lovely idea, my dear,” Imogene said and wrapped her arm through Cutty’s free one.

  He beamed ear to ear, his two favorite women on each arm, and cleared his throat. “Very well, ladies. Shall we?”

  Nettie giggled at his mock English accent. “You’re not bad,” she commented.

  He sobered. “Ya have no idea …”

  * * *

  Newton crouched, his heart pounding and took aim. “That’s it,” Ryder whispered next to him. “Just give that trigger a li’l ol’ squeeze …”

  The rifle fired.

  Ryder stood. “Ya got him!”

  Newton jumped up. “Where is he?”

  “He’s down! C’mon!”

  Newton had felled the deer in the tall prairie grasses near the tree line. They’d set out before dawn, but now the autumn sun had risen enough for them to see where the grasses split from the weight of the fallen buck.

  “Woo-ee! He’s a nice one!” Ryder exclaimed. “Let’s take care of him and get him back to my place.”

  “Have you brought a kill this size home to your wife before?” Newton asked as he tried to picture Constance butchering the animal.

  “Yeah, but I take care of everythin’,” he said with a laugh. “You shoulda seen the time I made her skin a snake! C’mon, let’s get to work.”

  The thought of that made Newton laugh as well. They field-dressed the deer, then got it up onto Newton’s horse to transport it back to Ryder’s. Once there, they finished what needed to be done with it before the men began to arrive to help with the construction of the new house. “Ready for the real work to begin?” Ryder asked Newton as they left the barn.

  Newton headed straight for the water pump near the house to wash his hands. “Yes, though I must admit I’d rather go back out and hunt. When do you think we can visit the Red Indians you told me about?”

  “Seth was gonna ride out and speak with them, so he won’t be here long today.”

  “Will he return this evening?”

  “No idea. I guess it depends if he got someone to cover for him at the hotel.”

  “I hope they’re cooperative and let me visit their camp.”

  “I don’t see a problem, but then ya never know. That’s why it’s best we ask first. It’s the polite thing to do, after all, and these folks like it when ya got manners.”

  “Indeed? How fascinating.”

  “They ain’t the savages folks make ‘em out to be. Well, some are, just like with us so-called civilized folks.”

  “Yes,” Newton said with a frown. “I can think of a few of those.”

  “So can I,” Ryder said with a shudder. “Terrible things have happened right here on my property.”

  “What? You mean when you were bitten by a rattlesnake? That’s the worst I heard.”

  “Who’d ya hear that from?” Ryder asked.

  “Doc Waller, but he didn’t go into details. It was when Amon suddenly got so sick. He mentioned medicine they used on you.”

  “Yeah, good thing too, or I wouldn’t be here. What he left out was the part about the outlaws that came here to kill me, or maybe Cutty, or … Constance.”

  “What? Good Lord, man, what happened?”

  “They tied me up and left me to die from the snake bite, then tied Constance up in the barn so she couldn’t help me. They dragged poor Cutty off with them and I cain’t even begin to tell ya what they did to him.”

  “I had no idea,” Newton whispered. “How awful!”

  “Yeah, it was.”

  Newton glanced around the barnyard. “You’ve built up a nice place for yourself, Ryder. I’m glad Constance found the man she needed in her life.”

  “I guess ya could say that about all yer relatives, here, huh?”

  “Distant though they are, they’re still family. More family than I ever hoped to have.”

  “Family’s important in these parts. Ya wanna hang onto ‘em.”

  Newton smiled. “I shall.”

  Ryder slapped him on the back, then went to greet those that had come to help. Newton watched him go, then glanced at his tiny home. Here was a man who’d started with nothing but a good horse, and look at him now. Ryder was already building a larger house for he and his wife, and his family to come.

  Newton drew in a breath and blew it out slowly. Why couldn’t he do the same? Well, he didn’t have a wife to care for and protect – one more reason he needed to explore while he still could, get it out of his system. Most of the women he knew didn’t like to travel like he did. Nor did they have the same adventurous spirit as, say, Imogene Sayer. No, best get as much traveling in as he could before he decided to settle down … whenever that was.

  “Well, lookie who showed up,” Cutty said with a smile. “Come to swing a hammer?”

  “As well as I can,” Newton said as he watched him approach. “Maybe I’ll build my own house, and this,” he added with a sweep of his hand, “will provide me with enough practice.”

  “You wanna build a house?” Cutty asked.

  “Not yet. But one day.”

  “Man has to settle down some time. Clear Creek is a fine place to do it. Besides, this is where yer family is now, ain’t it?”

  Newton nodded. “Yes, I have to agree with you there. Ryder and I were just talking about it.”

  “Were ya, now?”

  “Family will be something nice to come home to after my travels.”

  “Ya still aim to go explorin’?”

  “The sooner the better,” Newton said. “Now, I’d best go see how I can be of service.” Without another word, he headed in Ryder’s direction. Ryder and Amon had just carried a huge crate full of tools out of the barn, and the men gathered around to pick what they’d need for the day. Two more wagons approached, one belonging to the Triple-C, the other to the Turner family.

  Apparently more men had shown up to help than Ryder expected. “I’d best tell Constance there’s gonna be a few extra mouths to feed come lunch time,” he said as he brushed past Newton.

  “A good thing Colin and Harrison brought reinforcements,” Newton remarked, watching the Cooke brothers help their wives out of the wagon. The women went directly to the house with baskets of food in their arms.

  Another wagon approached, driven by August Bennett and full of cut lumber. Mr. Van Cleet had already sent one, telling Ryder and Constance it was a late wedding present. Ryder almost choked when he told Newton about it while hunting. It filled Newton with a sense of pride to know that the town his sister was a part of had such a giving community. It also meant he needn’t worry about her while he was gone.

  And if Newton had his way, that would be soon. But, first he wanted to meet Seth and Ryder’s Indian friends.

  Seven

  Cutty watched Newton throughout the day. A lot of folks had come to help with the construction of Ryder’s house, so getting a moment alone with his son was impossible, but he did manage a few words with him here and there.

  Unfortunately, all Newton wanted to talk about was going to different parts of the country to explore it. Cutty got a twist in his gut every time the lad mentioned someplace new to see. If Newton was adamant about traveling now, what would he do when Cutty told him who he really was?
He’d be handing him the perfect excuse to leave Clear Creek. Or would he hang around and take the time to get to know his father better?

  Cutty swung the hammer he held and tried not to smash a finger. Maybe Imogene was right – maybe he should tell Newton and Nettie separately. In fact, maybe he should wait until after Newton left to tell Nettie. That would give him time to deal with her before Newton came back. At least by then he’d have Nettie on his side … he hoped. He’d talk to Imogene about it later. Right now she was busy cooking along with the other women.

  Speaking of cooking … “Would you like some lunch, Cutty?” Constance asked. She held up a basket and flipped back a napkin to reveal the contents: fried chicken.

  Cutty’s stomach growled at the sight of it. “Don’t mind if I do,” he said and plucked out a piece. “Ow, ow, ow!” He tossed the chicken leg from one hand to the other.

  “Did I forget to mention it was hot?” Constance asked dryly.

  “Warn a man next time, will ya?” he said, then started to blow on the fingers of one hand, only to pass the chicken to it and blow on his other.

  Constance laughed. “Here,” she said, pulling a napkin from her apron pocket and handing it to him. “Try this.”

  “Thanks.” He took it and wrapped it around the lower half of the chicken leg. Before she could get away he snatched another piece from the basket and held it with the napkin as well. “So ya don’t hafta come back.”

  Constance laughed again and went to the next man to offer him the same. Sadie, Belle and Mabel Turner were also handing out food, as there were a lot of mouths to feed. If this many people kept showing up to help, Ryder’s house would be built in no time. Which meant less time for Cutty to do what he needed.

  He glanced around and spied Newton sitting on a barrel near the barn. Constance was holding the basket in front of him, waiting for him to take what he wanted. He also noticed that Constance had given him a napkin before letting him choose his pieces.

  Cutty shook his head and smiled. It was a good thing the Sayer women had come to Clear Creek. The men here were a much better fit for them than any they could find back in England. They’d have all married stuffy, boring men, who would rather spend their time in the local pubs than with their wives.

  And it was all because of him …

  Cutty swallowed his next bite of food with difficulty. His throat felt thick, his appetite crushed. When one got right down to it, they were his family too, even if far removed. What would they do if they found out who he was?

  Hmmm, that was something he hadn’t thought about in depth. What if Newton and Nettie accepted him, but the rest of the Sayers didn’t? Harrison and Colin had reason enough to run him out of town. And the women? So what if he’d saved most of them from a fire – they still might not take too kindly to finding out he was the notorious Thackary Holmes.

  “I need to think this through,” he muttered to himself in his own voice, rather than Cutty’s. “Those ladies might just as easily string me up from the nearest tree as any of the men …”

  But what if he didn’t have to tell them? What if Newton and Nettie kept it to themselves? It could be a secret only the three of them – four including Imogene – would know about. Hmmm, that might work. Then again, they might agree at first and change their minds later, in which case he might be worse off than when he started. Except that he’d have his children on his side – that would be something –

  “How’s the chicken?” Ryder asked, startling him out of his musings.

  “Consarnit! Warn a fella, will ya? I done almost swallowed a chicken bone.”

  Ryder laughed and slapped him on the back. “Ain’t this great, Cutty? I’m gonna have me a new house in no time, then you can move into the old one. What do ya say?”

  “I’m still thinkin’ ‘bout it,” he said, taking another bite.

  “What’s there to think about? Besides, I don’t want just anyone livin’ in it.”

  Cutty stopped chewing. “That’s mighty flattering, Ryder. But I got Imogene to think about. Ya suppose it’s big enough for the two of us?”

  “Of course it is, you know that. The two of ya got no younguns, and we can always build another room onto it. How’d ya like a separate bedroom?”

  “I know Imogene would. That way when she’s mad at me she’ll have someplace to go, not to mention a door to slam in my face.”

  Ryder laughed again. “That’s my Cutty. So when ya thinkin’ about getting’ hitched?”

  “I got some things to do first before I start thinkin’ about marryin’.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like what ya just said. How long do ya think it’d take us to add on another room?”

  “At the rate this new house of mine’s goin’ up, we can probably get it done before winter sets in. In fact, I bet a lot of these folks would help out if’n they knew it’s for ya and Imogene.”

  Cutty felt tears sting the backs of his eyes. He watched the men milling about eating lunch. “Ya think so?”

  “I know so. Everyone here loves both of ya. Why wouldn’t they help?”

  Cutty kicked at the dirt. “I dunno. I guess I never really felt like I belonged before.”

  “’Course you do. You’re just as much a part of this town as anyone. ‘Sides, everyone knows ya and Imogene are gonna get hitched one of these days. It ain’t like none of us have talked or heard about it. We’re all just wonderin’ when. Have ya talked to Preacher Jo yet?”

  “Nah. Like I said, I got things to take care of first.”

  Ryder nodded. “We’ll get my house built, then get that room finished in no time, ya’ll see. You don’t have to wait ‘til ya get your business done – we’ll just do it.”

  Cutty smiled at him. “Ryder, I don’t think I ever told ya what a good friend ya been to me. I don’t know where I’d be without ya. Thanks.”

  Ryder took Cutty’s free hand and shook it. “I feel the same. Thanks for all the help ya given me over the last couple years. I’m glad we got to know each other. And I’m glad to call ya friend.”

  Cutty swallowed hard. Little did Ryder know that Cutty had deceived him all this time. One more person he risked losing. What would Ryder do when he found out who he really was?

  * * *

  The day progressed without further incident. Cutty didn’t say much, and kept more to himself as time wore on. He itched to speak to Newton, to gauge his future reaction, but he didn’t dare. Instead he pictured all sorts of different scenarios as to how things might go – all of them bad.

  He just couldn’t help himself. His years as Thackary Holmes, the nasty rake, wouldn’t leave him. The more he thought about Newton and Nettie’s potential reactions to him, the worse things got in his mind’s eye. He pictured Nettie screaming at him, then crying uncontrollably; Newton’s face contorting with rage just before he launched himself at Cutty to beat him to a pulp.

  “Stop it,” Cutty whispered to himself. “Such dark fantasies won’t help you.” He swallowed hard and tried to focus on hammering nails into wood. The rhythmic pounding calmed him when he concentrated on it and it alone. Otherwise his mind drifted to scenes of Nettie’s weeping and Newton’s angry countenance.

  “Do you need more nails?”

  “Owww!” Cutty cried as he hit his finger. “Dash … dagnabit!”

  Newton put a hand on his back. “I’m so sorry, that was my fault. I should have waited until you were through with your hammering.”

  Cutty gaped at him. His son’s expression was full of genuine concern, not anger as he’d envisioned throughout the day. “Yeah, that woulda been nice. But … ya were only tryin’ to help.”

  Newton smiled. “Let me see your hand.”

  “What?”

  “Let me see your hand,” he said again.

  Cutty swallowed hard and held out his hand. “It ain’t bad.”

  Newton studied the damage. “Ouch, it looks like it is. Maybe you should have Doc Waller look at it. Come, he’s in the barn.
” Doc had come to tend any accidents that might occur while Doc Drake minded things in town. Ryder’s place was too far out to be of much help in case something happened to one of the men during the construction.

  Cutty’s eyes jumped to the barn and back. “I, I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not,” Newton insisted. “Don’t be so stubborn.”

  “I ain’t bein’ stubborn!”

  Newton chuckled. “You most certainly are. Nettie was right about you.”

  “Nettie? What has she got to do with it?”

  “She told me you were as stubborn as a mule when it came to doing anything for yourself.”

  Cutty’s face fell. “She … she said that?”

  “Yes. Now come along so we can have Doc tend that finger. It’s already beginning to swell.”

  Cutty looked at his finger. It was red and puffy – he had indeed injured himself. “Fine! But then I gotta get back to work.”

  “By all means, but first things first.” Newton took him by the arm, then pulled him toward the barn.

  “Ya don’t have to drag me!” Cutty complained. “I can walk!”

  Newton released him with a laugh. “As you say.”

  Amon watched them a moment, then stopped what he was doing and joined them. “What happened?”

  “Nothin’!” Cutty snapped.

  “I’m afraid I distracted him and he hammered his finger instead of a nail.”

  “Ouch,” Amon said and cringed. “I hate it when I do that. Let me see.”

  Cutty put his good hand over his damaged finger. “Ya don’t need to see nothin’!”

  “I’m not going to poke at it, I just want to see it,” Amon said.

  “Oh good grief,” Cutty said and held out his hand.

  Amon gently took his finger in his hand. “Wow, that had to hurt.” He curled his fingers around it. “But I’m sure Doc Waller can do something, just as soon as he gets Tom Turner fixed up.”

  “What happened to him?” Cutty asked.

  “A board hit him in the back of the head.”

  “Good heavens, man,” Newton said. “How did that happen?”